1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on an input video signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when the inferior cholecyst is enucleated under laparoscopic observation or any other surgical procedure is conducted under endoscopic observation, the lesion is treated using a therapeutic appliance with the help of endoscopic images of the lesion appearing on a TV monitor.
However, it is impossible to grasp the movement or position of forceps or the like in a region outside a field of view which cannot be covered by an endoscope. A positional relationship of a therapeutic appliance with a lesion cannot therefore be understood, thus hindering efficient surgical procedures.
During an endoscope-aided surgical procedure, a surgeon and an assistant stand with an operation table between them. The surgeon and assistant carries out the procedure while viewing monitors located on the opposite sides of them.
However, as long as the surgeon (assistant) facing an endoscope is concerned, his/her right and left hands are inverse to the right and left hands of an endoscopic image. The surgeon (assistant) therefore has difficulty in conducting the procedure.
As shown in FIG. 75, a surgeon A and a surgeon B are opposed to each other with a patient between them. The surgeon A inserts therapeutic appliances 502 and 503 as well as an endoscope 501 with a TV camera (hereinafter, referred to merely as an endoscope) using a trocar and cannula. Assuming that a lesion 506 in a body cavity has the positional relationships as shown in FIG. 76 with the endoscope 501 as well as the therapeutic appliances 502, 503, 504, and 505, an image produced by the endoscope 501 appears as shown in FIG. 77 on a monitor.
When the surgeon B tries to move the therapeutic appliance 505 in a direction indicated with a dotted line in a screen on the monitor shown in FIG. 77 in an attempt to bring the therapeutic appliance 505 close to the lesion, if the surgeon B operates the therapeutic appliance 505 while viewing the monitor, the therapeutic appliance 505 actually moves in a direction indicated with a solid line. The same applies to the therapeutic appliance 504. That is to say, the surgeon B finds positional relationships in the screen on the monitor laterally inverse to the actual ones.
For the surgeon B, an image made by laterally inverting the image on the monitor shown in FIG. 77 (hereinafter, referred to as a mirror image) looks natural and helpful in manipulating therapeutic appliances.
Likewise, in the situation shown in FIG. 75, when the lesion 506 in a body cavity has the positional relationships as shown in FIG. 78 with the endoscope 501 as well as the therapeutic appliances 502, 503, 504, and 505; that is, when the endoscope 501 images the lesion 506 from obliquely upward, an image provided by the endoscope appears as shown in FIG. 79 in a screen on the monitor. In this case, the surgeon B finds the image on the monitor inverse not only laterally but also vertically.
For the surgeon B, an image made by inverting the image shown in FIG. 79 laterally and vertically; that is, by 180xc2x0 (hereinafter, referred to as an inverted image) looks natural and helpful in manipulating therapeutic appliances.
A conceivable measurement against the foregoing problem is to hang a monitor on a ceiling upside down.
However, when a monitor is placed upside down but not in a normal direction of installation, a problem occurs in terms of durability of the monitor and of electrical safety.
The foregoing drawback that an endoscopic image on a monitor looks laterally and vertically inverse for an observer (surgeon or assistant) occurs only when the observer is opposed to the endoscope. When the view direction of an endoscope changes during surgery, if the orientations of the observer and endoscope become consistent, the monitor must be returned to the normal direction. It is, however, impossible to take time for such cumbersome work in practice; that is, during surgery.
For endoscope-aided surgery, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2-68027, two images such as a radiographic image and an endoscopic image may be displayed as a synthetic image on a monitor using a picture-in-picture imaging means or the like.
The picture-in-picture imaging means is adaptable for a endoscope-aided surgical procedure during which a plurality of endoscopes are employed. When a plurality of endoscopes are employed, a surgeon and an assistant are required to manipulate different endoscopes and proceed with the procedure in cooperation and harmony. For a smoother procedure, it is therefore necessary to display an image provided by one""s own endoscope as well as an image provided by a partner""s endoscope using the picture-in-picture imaging means or the like. In this case, when the partner""s endoscope is opposed to the one""s own, the aforesaid lateral and vertical inversion occurs.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus for providing images whose view directions are found consistent by a plurality of observers during a surgical procedure or examination under endoscopic observation and for enabling display of an image provided by a partner""s endoscope for confirmation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus for efficiently displaying and recording a desired image signal by supplying a plurality of kinds of image signals selectively to a plurality of output channels.
An image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises an image processing means for processing at least one of raw images fed to an image input means so as to produce at least one kind of transformed image; a turned image or a mirror image, and an image output means for simultaneously outputting at least different images among the transformed image produced by the image processing means and the raw images fed to the image input means.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the description below.